Egg-carrier.



F. W. EDWARDY.

EGG CARRIER.

RENEWEDNOV.15.1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24'1914. l QCD Patented May 2! F. W. EDWARDY.

EGG CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24. 1914. RENIZWED Nov. 15.19I7.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented May 2l,1918.

FREDERICK W. EDWARDY, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA EGG-CARRIER.

Application mea December' 24, 1914, serial No. 878,949.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK WALDo EDWARDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Savannah, in the county of Chatham and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg-Carriers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to egg carriers'. Its object is to provide an egg carrier which shall be especially useful where hard service is expected as in transmission by parcel post. To this end it comprises the combinations and parts recited in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a form of my egg carrier which I generally term the dozen unit- Fig. 2 is a central vertical section somewhat enlarged to more clearly bring out the relation of the parts;

Fig. 8 is a transverse section somewhat reduced;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of two units secured together; the illustration in this case showing what I term half dozen units;

Fig. 5 is a detail of a form of clip or fastening which I may use especially in the half dozen unit form;

Fig. 6 is a detail of a modified form of handle;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the partit-ions I employ;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the removable band which is converted into the appropriate number of pockets to hold the eggs or other articles.

rIhe exterior of my carrier comprises essentially two covers 10 and 11 and a central cylinder 12.

In practice I find it advantageous to make these parts of heavy pasteboard tho-ugh, 'of course, any other material such as fiber board may be used, it being desirable in the larger sizes, for example, in some cases to use metal. While in the illustration the cover 10 is shown as the top cover, it is immaterial which is the top as the parts of my carrier are reversible and are identical in construction and use whichever end may be at the top. They are therefore interchangeable.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1918.

Renewed November 15, 1917. Serial No. 202,241.

Within the envelop cylinder 12 lies a sleeve or lining 13 which I have illustrated in my preferred form, as in Fig. 3, of corrugated pasteboard of the familiar sort commonly used for packing. In Fig. 2 I have illustrated the unit there shown as having two divisions which are formed by partitions of corrugated board 14 placed back to back so that the corrugated part will face the eggs or other material to be carried. These partitions are, as illustrated in Fig. 7, circular corrugated forms with cut out parts 15 to serve as finger holes to facilitate their removal. These same circular corrugated forms are used also at both ends of the box as shown for example, in Fig. 2, it being observed that in every case the corrugated side is adjacent to the eggs or the article packed. In the illustration as there shown it will be observed that the parts are removable. They are assembled by dropping in first the circular form there shown on the bottom and after the packing is done placing in the central partitions and finally the top circular form. In each of the divisions of the form shown in Fig. 2 as well as, of course, the other forms is placed in used the packet structure illustrated in detail in Fig. 8 and shown in place in Fig. 3. This pocket structure is made up of a simple strip of the corrugated board which I use in my preferred form. I preferably bend this strip at intervals of approximately seven inches to form six pockets, for example, as illustrate-d in Fig. 3. With such a construction the pockets automatically adjust themselves to fit any size of egg. rI`here will be intervening loops of the material between all of the pockets except one, while the ends of the strip will meetl to form a double protection between the adjacent pockets. I thus have a pocket structure which may be transported {ia-t or may be carried within the box ready for use and which can be quickly formed and dropped into place when the parts are being assembled for packing. This free, flexible pocket structure may be made the full height of a division of the container so it may fit up closely against the packing in the cover. Another advantage which liows -from the use of free iexible and separable pocket strip is that I may remove either cover and present for inspection or other purposes all of the eggs still held in the pockets `because the free pocket strip will come out with the eggs and lie upon the packing in the cover. This is a desirable feature where eggs are being inspected or for sale. It will be also observed in handling eggs that six can be removed and again inserted without handling the separate egg. It will be understood that the circular form 14, shown at the bottom of Fig. 2, is first dropped into place, that then one of the pocket structure units is dropped on top of this form, the eggs are then packed in the pockets where they lie transversely in the manner in which I have found to bev best adapted for safe carrying and for storage. That is to say, I have found that the most economical way of packing eggs or objects of that shape is to place six as illustrated in Fig. 2. In fact I have found that the only. practicable number of pockets in a circular box is six. flexible strip will be free in every part and instant-ly removable. The apices of the oval pockets almost meet at the center and no space is lost in thus using this pocket structure in a circular box.

After the first layer of eggs is in place I drop in on top of that layer one of the circular forms 14, as shown in Fig. 2, with the corrugations downward and then on top of this I drop another of the circular forms 14 with the corrugations upward so that it will form now a. bottom for the succeeding layer of eggs. Then in this upper division I drop in'the pocket structure, place the eggs within the pockets as before, and then put on top of this second layer another circular form 14 with the corrugations projectingdownward as illustrated in Fig. 2. It is assumed thaty the cover 11 is in place as a similar cover 10 is now placed on what is, in Fig. .2, the top, the parts being thus removable and interchangeable.

Through the' center ofmy units passes a perforation 16. Thisl perforation runs through all the parts as illustrated in the several gures. The purpose of this perforation is to receive a rod 17 such as is shown in Fig. 4, to bind together two or morev units. Therod is shown in this view with a nut at the bottom and a wing nut at the top. I have illustrated half-dozen units as thus joined. This is done merely for convenience of illustration. It is understood, of course, that the larger forms may thus be brought together and securely held as a larger unit or a larger carrier in any number though, of course, for my preferred purpose there will be limitations of the postal law which ordinarily restrict the size of any package.

It will be readily seen that many of these units might be combined if it were desired to express or freight a number of them and this form of securing device I find to be exceedingly effective and: simple.

At 18 I have illustrated a cord or tape or With this number my other flexible securing device. In this case the tape passes in through the side of the cylinder envelop near one end and out near the other end or in any desired manner. I have illustrated it as best adapted for a securing device as having one end run around near the edge of the cover, the other end brought under the bo'x, up the other side, across the top, and down beneath the first described end and then around in the opposite direction where the two ends meet and are tied together as shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated itllQthGla method of securing the covers to the envelop cylinder at 19. This is shown as, a metal flange whose base is secured to the wall of the envelop. cylinder and whose upper projection passes through an opening near the edge of the cover and then passes down around the side as illustrated in Fig.` 5,

These strings are not only adapted to secure the covers in place but they also servevr when thus arranged as. a handle. so that the package may be picked up at either end and conveniently handled.

In this construction an essential element is the liexible separable band o fcorrugated board or similar material. I am enabled by the use of this simple device to adjust it to any size of box and to receive any size of 95 eggs. I may arrange that the carrier closely embraces the eggs` or that it leaves a space between the walls of this` band and the eggs3 In practice I have found it advantageous to have the eggs rest rather loosely in the pookets formed by this flexible band because as they move some of the force of a blow is. lost and they roll up gently against the side ot the band. It has been my opinion that in practice when theyv are packed too-y tightly they are more apt to feel the results of a jarthan when they are given this slight movement each within its own pocket.

It will be observed that I can adapt this iiexible band to any number of eggs. I prefer to arrange it to receive a half-dozen eggs in each compartment. in accordance with the custom of the trade so, that, for ex-A ample, the units would be a half-dozen box, then a dozen box, proceeding to any desired size though in practice I find it expedient to keep in mind the rules governing the parcel post.

In the. half dozen unit of Fig. 4 it will be noticed that the heavy rims of the covers 120 meet so that when the sides and the top and bottom covers are assembled I have about the box a solid ring of heavy cardboard or similar material. A unit of this. type may be said to be practically indestructible. There 125 is hardly any usage to which, such a pack,-l age could be subjected which wouldinl anywi-se damage the eggor any other; fragile Y material contained in the pockets. This may Vbe of advantage in some special circumstances where it is peculiarly desirable to insure very valuable eggs or other fragile objects carried in the pockets. However, 1n actual practice it will be found that all of the sizes are safe and practical.

I have illustrated the half-dozen units as in eifect nested or grouped, the several units being secured together by means of the central rod with its nut at the bottom and its readily assembled thumb nut or similar device at the top. In practice these rods can be furnished of varying sizes so that any number of units whether of the half-dozen units or of the dozen units may be assembled, though in practice I nd it advantageous to limit the size to such number of half dozen or other units as will come within the present limitations of the postal regulations.

It will be observed also that all of the parts of my egg carrier are in separate units. I begin, for example, with a solid ring of pasteboard or similar material. That is, I take simply a rectangular piece of this material and bring the ends together to secure them to form a ring. Then this is inserted with a corresponding lining of corrugated board or similar material which is quickly and cheaply made. That is, it '1s a sleeve within an envelop. Then completing the exterior of the package are the similar formed top and bottom though infact there is no top and bottom to my carrier, it being reversible and it being entirely immaterial w-hich end is removable though where the central 'rod is used it would be customary to remove the cover immediately beneath the thumb nut. The interior elements are likewise simple and easily made units all of which may be adapted to fit any size of box and may be put in from eitherl direction. The band is readily formed by the hand to t the required number of eggs. It may be formed thus in advance in, say, six pockets, or it may be formed by the user into any number of pockets. The oval and spherical conformation of eggs makes it advantageous to arrange six eggs in a pocket. That is to say, there is greater economy in placing six eggs in a circle than there is even in the similar placing of any other number. The partitions between the transverse partitions are simply disks of cardboard or corrugated material with the finger holes to assist in the ready assembly and the central hole to receive the central bolt. These, as before stated, can be placed in the carrier in any direction and may be taken up in any order whatsoever, the only feature of advantage being in each case the corrugated side shall be placed against the egg within the carrier for obvious reasons. In addition to these corrugations giving Copies of this patent better packing, it enables the fiat side of the partitions to be brought together.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated another form of nut which serves at the same time as a handle. It will be observed that in this case a ring passes through the nut as shown at 20 and that thus by a single construction I provide for locking the parts together and also supplying a handle. This may be especially useful where a number of units are put together.

I claim z- 1. Ina device for carrying eggs and similar objects, the combination with a cylindrical container, of a separable, iexible pocket structure, composed of a continuous strip bent to form pockets in a circular row, the side walls of which are free next the longitudinal axis of the structure, and which pockets are free to yield laterally and to adjust themselves to the different sizes of the objects.

2. In a device for carrying eggs, the combination with a cylindrical container, of a circular pocket structure, composed of a flexible strip folded back and forth upon itself, the side walls of which are free next the longitudinal axis of the structure, and forming in the outer bights of its folds pockets adapted to hold eggs.

3. In a device for carrying eggs, the combination with a cylindrical container, of a pocket structure composed of a flexible strip folded back and forth upon itself by an alternate short and long bight, the side walls of which are free next the longitudinal axis of the structure, thus forming a circular pocket structure adapted to hold eggs.

4. In an egg carrier, the combination with a cylinder provided at each end with a cover, of a flexible strip folded back and forth upon itself, the side walls of which are free next the longitudinal axis of the structure, and forming in the outer bights of its folds cells adapted to hold eggs.

5. In an egg container, the combination with a cylinder having a removable center plate and a cover for each end of said cylinder, of a flexible pocket structure, comosed of a continuous strip folded back and orth upon itself by an alternate short and long bight thus forming a circular pocket structure, the side walls of which are free next the longitudinal axis of the structure, the long or outer bights of which are adapted to hold eggs.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK WV. EDWARDY.

Witnesses:

E. IFI. PAnxnys, CHARLOTTE BERGER.

may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

